$15 billion VW emissions deal clears hurdle

terms and consumers to use a settlement website to determine how much compensation they would get. They could object and opt out, allowing them to pursue legal action against Volkswagen on their own.

The deal does not cover about 85,000 more-powerful Volkswagens and Audis with 3-liter engines also caught up in the emissions scandal.

Volkswagen has acknowledged that the cars were programmed to turn on emissions controls during government lab tests and turn them off while on the road. Investigators found that the cars emitted more than 40 times the legal limit of nitrogen oxide, which can cause respiratory problems.

The company still faces billions more dollars in fines and penalties and possible criminal charges.

Breyer’s preliminary approval of the settlement was expected. The judge, who is set to make a final decision in October, has kept close tabs on the negotiations and praised the efforts of attorneys and a court-appointed settlement master who helped broker the deal.

Still, attorneys for vehicle owners spent considerable time in court Tuesday presenting what they called the benefits of the deal and highlighting positive feedback, including from the media.

Robert Giuffra, an attorney for the automaker, said it supported the deal.

“This is a very fair and reasonable settlement,” he said.